When William Parker Bates was born on 12 November 1904, in Naples, Uintah, Utah, United States, his father, John Christopher Bates, was 39 and his mother, Janette Eliza Perry, was 36. He married Mathilda Polansky on 6 February 1932. He lived in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States for about 10 years and San Diego, San Diego, California, United States for about 2 years. He died on 18 May 1948, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 43.